COGAT

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is an online, group administered, norm-referenced universal screener of student learned reasoning and problem solving skills. It is taken by all 2nd-graders and 6th-graders new to the District.

The CogAT is a measure of students potential to succeed in school-related tasks. It is not a measure of general intelligence. The profile of CogAT abilities helps teachers better understand how different students learn best. Data from this assessment will be included as one aspect of the multiple measures which help staff make decisions regarding instructional needs. Elmbrook also will use the CogAT test results as one measure to help identify gifted/advanced learners.

The CogAT test assesses learned reasoning abilities in the three areas most linked to academic success in school: Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal.

The Verbal Battery measures the ability to remember and transform sequences of English words, to understand them, and to make inferences and judgments about them.

The Quantitative Battery assesses the understanding of basic quantitative concepts and relationships that are essential for learning mathematics. Tasks measure the understanding of relational concepts and the ability to discover relationships and to figure out a rule or principle that explains them.

The Nonverbal Battery measures reasoning using pictures and geometric shapes, which reduces the impact of language on scores. The Nonverbal Battery also appraises the ability to use cognitive resources in new situations.